BlogHer - Pumpkin Carving Tricks - Comments

I like vinegar better than bleach but

Denise — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:28:52 -0500

only just a little better. I wonder what vinegar would do to a pumpkin.

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Flamingo House Happenings

Maybe that's because

CanCan — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:02:19 -0500

I was feeling a little wistful because I have a love for vinegar and all of it's magical properties. I believe in vinegar in much the same way that the dad from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" believes in Windex.

Bleach is new territory for me here.

CanCan

Mom Most Traveled

www.MomMostTraveled.com

You sound a bit skeptical

Denise — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:37:23 -0500

I like that, particularly when we're talking about magic bleach tips. Try it the next time you carve a pumpkin, some people swear it helps.

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Flamingo House Happenings

Hmmm, good to know

CanCan — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:31:27 -0500

That bleach tip does sound magical. I will have to try it some time.

CanCan

Mom Most Traveled

www.MomMostTraveled.com

It's the patriarchy

Denise — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:49:05 -0500

I'm really good at blocking out the patriarchy and jumping to conclusions I prefer.

Though TW did say something like "weird, they both got married on their birthdays." Which should have set off warning bells, hah.

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Flamingo House Happenings

So glad I stopped by......

Joy Des Jardins — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:43:16 -0500

Impressed? I sure was impressed. That was quite an assortment; and outside of your sweet 10-year-old's cute pumpkin face....hardly the 'normal' jack-o-lantern fare. They WERE crazy...and cool....and inventive. Just like your house.....Crazy and cool....and yes, even inventive.

By the way sweetie....Jory's birthday isn't today, the 7th.....it's her anniversary. I take it you read my blog post....sorta. Again...Happy Birthday Denise....you amazing lady you!!! ~Hugs, Joy

Presidential Pumpkins

Longmont Examiner — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:36:49 -0500

Did you see the newest pumpkins from BHG?

http://www.examiner.com/x-517-Longmont-Examiner~y2008m10d6-Presidential-Pumpkins-Dont-let-yours-wind-up-in-the-street

Nothing scarier than my pumpkin from last year...

PeskyElf — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:14:22 -0500

I haven't even bought this year's pumpkin yet, and as I'm going to be on my own for Halloween this year (the Other Half will be at a conference) I don't know whether I'll celebrate it much.

Last year's pumpkin was one of my better efforts, though:

Bleach

TW — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:40:17 -0500

I tell you this bleach thing every, every year when you complain about my pumpkin prep odor. Every year you act like I just made the bleach thing up in order to spread more bleachy goodness into our household.

~TW
Retro-Food

Pumpkin Carving Tricks

Denise — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:30:48 -0500

Yesterday, we carved our pumpkins. Well I didn't, I don't carve pumpkins, I just assist. TW and five children carved pumpkins in our living room because the weather goddess hates me and decided it should rain on our last full day with all five kids. I'm lucky, the clean up was minimal because the kids are all pretty grown up and everyone except the 22 year old stayed on the sheets that I spread out around the living room. TW made the biggest mess and the dog dragged pumpkin guts around the house a little bit but I'm used to the dog doing that sort of thing.

Before we started, TW commented upon the fact that I had not cleaned the outside of the pumpkins with bleach. She's mentioned this before but I thought it was a joke. TW loves bleach. I hate bleach. Apparently it wasn't a joke and the bleach helps the pumpkin last longer. We skipped bleach.

As they began to cut the tops off of their pumpkins, I realized again that Chris has the right idea by using power tools for pumpkin carving. We made it through that chore and everyone started gutting, yucky gooey fun! This is the point where the 10 year old informed us that this was going to be her first time every carving her own pumpkin. Apparently she's never done it with her father and step-mother and at our house for the last few years, we've just painted pumpkins. How exciting! That first pumpkin is PERFECT in every way.

The other pumpkins that we carved are a little less traditional, to say the least. Jory's mom, Joy, came to the house today and she was impressed by the crazyness of our pumpkins. Hah. Someday she will be unfazed by the craziness of our kids. (Side note: ~~Happy Birthday,~~ Happy Anniversary Jory! Great people have birthdays on the 7th, heh.)

When it came time for clean up, I scooped up the sheets and waved them outside on the front lawn. I had second thoughts as pumpkin chunks went flying because we have enough wildlife problems around here as it is but it was too late by then. Also, we had a lot of wildlife in Florida and I never saw any pumpkins, raccoons or possums fiddling with our pumpkins. Apparently, I was wrong to not worry. I just saw this post by BlogHer member Alissa blogging tips to prevent squirrels from attacking pumpkins. Errr oops. I guess I'd better add some Tobasco to the grocery list.

Do you have pumpkin carving, clean up or wildlife deterrent tips? Or just photos and blog posts chronicling your carving? Share, please.

~Denise
Flamingo House Happenings